One Big Ten team snubbed in 2026 preseason US LBM Coaches Poll

The USC Trojans didn’t get left out of the preseason US LBM College Football Coaches Poll, presented by USA TODAY Sports. They did get left out of the top 12 (a College Football Playoff position), but they were inside the top 15. If one Big Ten team should have been included in the poll, only to be snubbed instead, it was the Illinois Fighting Illini. So says USA TODAY Sports’ Jordan Mendoza:

“The Big Ten could have gotten a ninth team in with Illinois, which has found its footing under Bret Bielema. The Fighting Illini brought in Katin Houser (East Carolina) at quarterback, an underrated gunslinger. Top rusher in Ca’Lil Valentine returns along with contributing receivers in Collin Dixon and Hudson Clement. Illinois has won at least nine games in each of the past two seasons, built on a tough home environment with a 12-2 record at Memorial Stadium. It will again be a hard place for opponents to play in, and if Illinois can put it all together on the road, it is on the path toward possibly winning double-digit games with a schedule that isn’t too brutal.”

As the article alludes to, the Big Ten could have gotten a ninth team in the coaches poll, which means the conference did get eight teams in the preseason top 25. Ohio State, Oregon and Indiana are in the top six. Michigan, Penn State, Washington, and Iowa are ranked below USC in the back end of the poll. It will be fascinating to see if the season matches the preseason rankings or even comes remotely close.

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This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: One Big Ten team snubbed in 2026 preseason US LBM Coaches Poll